Motorola released the Edge + February 2022, and a quick search online for reviews shows it was received fairly by consumers and the media alike – even if its marketing campaigns weren’t as grandeur as some of the competition. Equipped with the most powerful SOC of 2022 in the form of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the Edge + comes in 8GB/256, 12GB/256GB, 8GB/512GB, and 12GB/512GB capacities.
It released with a flagship price tag at $999, which is one of the reasons Apple and Samsung flagships overshadowed the device, but now you can get the Edge + 2022 at a whopping half off the retail price – bringing it down to $499.
We wouldn’t fib about something like this, so in case the sale ends soon here’s the receipts
Being I’m quite a stickler for the best bargain, I just had to invest in a device with true flagship caliber specs – AND had the compatible cellular bands of Dish Network’sBoost Infinite brand – as does the Motorola Edge Plus. So let’s get into our Motorola Edge + 2022 review.
Specs
Specs
Motorola Edge + (2022)
Screen
6.67-inch P-OLED Display (2400 x 1080 Pixels, 393 ppi) with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 20:9 Aspect Ratio, 144Hz Refresh Rate, HDR10+, and punch-hole
Working as a tech analyst and getting high-end, flagship level smartphones to review on a regular basis can do one or two things for you. It can make you a spoiled, out of touch tech consumer who picks up an expensive habit of blowing money on the latest and greatest gadgets of the new year; or it can make you a shroud and analytical buyer who’s not bedazzled by the newest marketing slogans aimed at getting you to part with your hard-earned dollars.
While I admit to being guilty of swaying to both extremes, I can proudly declare I’ve settled into the “Unlocked, directly from the manufacturer” bunch. I whole heartedly shun carrier subsidized devices, which I believe are designed to keep you locked into long term relationships with one company – regardless of the newest specials or offers by competitors at any given time. This hunt for the best smartphone value has led to the discovery of a global brand known as Xiaomi.
Xiaomi’s devices are not readily available in US stores (since the closure of Fry’s Electronics) and can only be reliably purchased from third-party sellers on Amazon, or online vendors like Wireless Place, where I purchased my Xiaomi 11T .
I settled on this device looking for an powerful, unlocked smartphone that had flagship features and a midrange price. At the time of purchase, the Xiaomi 11T had $1000 flagship specs for less than half the price. I thought to myself, “This should be a smart buy, even if I update my phone in a year and it doesn’t get consistent updates.” But when I received the device in the mail and held it in my hands for the first time, I was impressed at how the build gave the impression I was holding a true flagship. Especially when I saw the display come to life for the first time.
It’s the Display for ME 💜💪🏾
Although the excitement settled, admittedly due to the distractions of new devices arriving in our offices and being bombarded by their million-dollar marketing campaigns – after a week or two I recall always coming back to the Xiaomi 11T, the ONE device that I actually spent $450 to buy myself. There was always that ONE FEATURE that the latest iPhone, Galaxy or Pixel didn’t have, that led me to putting my personal SIM card back into the 11T. And while I do admit I always get a kick out of getting a new smartphone for review, when I was greeted with a surprise update to Android 13 on the 11T earlier this week, I came to the realization that the China-based company was more dependable for Android updates than most domestic smartphone manufacturers.
Xiaomi 11T’ update to MIUI 14/Android 13 was a sweet way to ask to be my Valentine’s 💜
Top Features
My trusty Xiaomi 11T, over a year of loyalty
Xiaomi’s flavor of Android is called MIUI (Me UI) and it’s current version rests at 14, which is parallel to Android 13. It’s known for packing a lot of extra features in Android, such as a robust theming engine and Xiaomi’s own app ecosystem. One cool feature that enhances the look on and feel of the 11T is Super Wallpapers.
One thing you must be cautious of, is making sure the carrier you’re using has 5G and 4G bands supported when purchasing an international version of a Xiaomi device to the US. While you’re pretty much ok with ATT or T-Mobile or any of their pre-paid MVNOs (Metro by T-Mobile,Mint, etc.) Verizon’s cellular network doesn’t accept Xiaomi devices at all, even though some of their bands are supported.
Camera
The 108MP Main Rear camera on the 11T is as full-featured as camera apps come, offering just the right amount of modes and features without being too overwhelming.
(Camera Samples Pending)
Standard photoPortrait PhotoLeft Image: Standard 1X zoom | Right: Macro 10X zoom
All-Around Well Rounder
I have used the Xiaomi 11T to create all sorts of content, from B-roll footage, music compositions, professional photography, to video editing. It has never failed, and always stood toe-to-toe if not exceeding the results produced by more popular brands. It is the one device that has given me confidence that I could create content that met the standard threshold of quality of the recording industry and professional media with one device.
All of my mobile music production workshops for Labfreq have been produced and demonstrated on the Xiaomi 11T. Every other device that I’ve tried to use has ran into a limitation at some point in the process before completion. That’s the main reason why this device has had so much staying power over the last year or so.
Conclusion
The Xiaomi 11T has left a lasting first impression of what Xiaomi has to offer, and they do have lots of products with feature packed value available. While there are many great options in the smartphone market, none encapsulates what I look for in a device in one place the way the 11T does. Even in 2023, it still moves like a high-scoring rookie of the year.
The latest in the V-series by LG offers a few unique perks like flagship performance, a Quad DAC powered 3.5 mm headphone jack, and 5G connectivity at a lower price point than Apple or Samsung – but is that enough to sway users?
The end of an era for the LG V series
The LG V60 is the latest flagship smartphone by LG, and one that brings us to the end of the line for the V Series. I expected LG to knock it out of the ballpark with this device – in a fair tribute to one of the most innovative smartphone models in the Android landscape. Instead I was met with what seems like a rush effort, a mere afterthought in an attempt to accelerate the next phase of LG flagship devices.
The LG V60 is a behemoth of a smartphone, packing an 6.8 inch display, 128GB of Internal Storage, and 8GB of RAM. It has the latest and greatest silicon for Androids in 2020, the Snapdragon 865 – and a slow-sipping 5000MaH battery. In our testing, On the camera front, it has a 64MP Standard (capable of capable of 8K video recording) a 13MP Ultra-Wide, and an 117° FOV Z Camera for depth on the rear , with a 10MP front facing lens.
All hail the Duel, or another useless gimmicky tool?
Measuring at about 6.9 inches diagonally , the V60 is burdened with a decent amount of thickness – even for someone with hands large as mine. The beveled edges go a long way towards making the device one hand-able, but that’s canceled out once the Dual Screen case is equipped. Nevertheless, the Dual Screen case is an impressive accessory.
It serves a great protective case and it has some useful multitasking abilities, but combined with the size of the phone, it simply makes the device too bulky to carry around every day. I used it as a phone mount for video chat and camera use more than anything else.
Conclusion
The V60 ticks all the right boxes of a 2020 flagship smartphone: the latest Snapdragon 865 processor, plenty of RAM and storage, a big bright display, and a beefy battery. The Dual Screen is an innovative addition to the overall package, but it makes an already huge device seem even more unwieldy. There’s nothing wrong with the V60, but there’s nothing extraordinary about it either. It’s a great phone that will knock any task out of the ballpark and meet any threshold you pus it to with flying colors. But so does other devices – which cost half the $900 asking price Verizon is charging for their Ultra Wideband enabled V60. And the build quality, particularly the gold paint finish on the aluminum sides is questionable on the Verizon model. The phone has all the internals needed to make it a true 2020 flagship, but there are too many options out there that can match the V60’s spec sheet for hundreds less. But if you can find it on sale with the dual screen included – you wont be disappointed.
